Mop holder



' Nov. 15, 1960 MOP HOLDER R. A. PARKER Filed Aug. 27, 1958 Roy A. Parker INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofice 2,959,802 Patented Nov. 15, 1960 MOP HOLDER Roy A. Parker, 130 Cross Parkway, Burlington, Vt.

Filed Aug. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 757,597

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-147) This invention relates to mop holders and particularly to an open end mop holder.

An object of the invention is to provide a new, improved and useful device to hold any type of mop head conveniently and securely without the necessity of coil or leaf springs, levers, or other mechanical mechanisms.

In practicing this invention it is believed that the ultimate of simplicity has been achieved and yet, the invention is adaptable to accommodate a variety of commercially available mop heads and is even elfective as a holder when improvised mop heads are used with the holder. Moreover, the holder is so constructed that the mop head, even the thinnest commercially available mop head, is not only securely held but also very easily extracted from the mop holder in order to reverse the mop head in the holder.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mop holder constructed in accordance with the invention without a mop head therein.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the mop holder frame.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the mop holder, this view showing a mop head in place.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a part of the mop holder.

In the accompanying drawing there is a mop handle which may be of any size, shape, material or configuration. It is preferred, though, that at least the end of the handle be hollow or have an opening 12 within which to accommodate plug 14. The plug is of a crosssectional shape to fit the opening 12. For instance if the opening is cylindrical, the plug will be generally cylindrical as shown in Figure 5. There are two slots 16 and 18 longitudinally located in the surface of plug 14, and these accommodate wire sides 20 and 22 of holder 24. The holder is preferably made of one piece of wire shaped to have sides 20 and 22 with inner parts 26 and 27 that are approximately parallel to each other and a connecting part 28 at the inner extremities of sides 20 and 22. The outer parts 29 and 30 of sides 20 and 22 converge (Figs. 1 and 2). Two approximately elliptical shaped jaws 34 and 36, each formed as a continuation of sides 20 and 22 at their outer extremities, are adapted to accommodate a portion of a mop head 38. The wire of which the holder 24 is constructed is resilient and the sides 20 and 22 are normally resiliently urged together with the outer extremities of the sides 20 and 22 in frictional engagement with each other. Therefore, the jaws 34 and 36 formed on the outer extremities of sides 20 and 22 constitute a clamp for the mop head. i

In assembly, plug 14 is placed between the parts 26 and 27 of sides 20 and 22 with these parts of the sides disposed in slots 16 and 18. Then, the plug and a part of each side 20 and 22 is inserted in opening 12 until the aperture 39 is aligned with a pair of apertures in the handle 10. A rivet 40, bolt or like fastener may be passed through the aligned openings and held in place thereby retaining the plug 14 fixed with respect to the handle 10 and in opening 12.

After assembly of the holder with the handle as described above, any type of mop head may be inserted between the jaws 34 and 36 when the holder sides 20 and 22 are fully extended. The necessary tension to retain the mop head 38 in place between the jaws is obtained by resting the cap of the handle 10 on the floor and pushing down on the rnop head 38 until the mop head moves to the position where there is considerable frictional resistance to further movement. The distance of movement of holder 24 into the handle depends on the bulk of the mop head. Since the design of this invention requires that the jaws be in contact when the holder 24 is fully withdrawn, the thinnest commercially available head is capable of being securely retained before the head reaches the plug 14. The head is easily removed by reversing the insertion procedure.

It follows, therefore, that holder 24 must have at least its sides made of spring metal or some other material which will tend to return to its original shape after having been deflected by an external force. There are a large variety of metals which will fulfill this specification, the most common being spring steel that is both elastic and resilient.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a mop having an elongated handle open at one end, a mop head holder of resilient wire having sides provided with a pair of opposite side-by-side transverse jaws for gripping a mop head therebetween, said sides tending to flex toward each other to normally engage said jaws with each other and means attaching said holder to said handle comprising a plug slidably fitted in the open end of the handle and having a pair of longitudinally extending opposite side grooves therein through which the sides of the holder extend in engagement therewith and with said handle, said grooves being parallel with said handle for engagement of said sides with said grooves and handle flush therewith, said plug preventing said sides from flexing toward each other in the open end of the handle.

2. In a mop according to claim 1, a fastener for said plug extending transversely through said handle and plug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 385,498 Brinton July 3, 1888 574,986 Deisbach Jan. 12, 1897 666,776 Pascall Jan. 29, 1901 1,148,558 Wilson Aug. 3, 1915 1,308,491 Gamble July 1, 1919 1,535,955 Snyder et al. Apr. 28, 1925 1,898,698 Trompeter Feb. 21, 1933 2,180,263 Tammen Nov. 14, 1939 2,204,482 Filipiak June 11, 1940 2,249,727 Butler July 22, 1941 

